Method of and equipment for handling and shipping materials in bulk



June 19, 1934.

N. G. CAMPBELL ET AL METHOD OF AND EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING AND SHIPPING MATEPTALS IN BULK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22. 1932 INVENTORS Aid/lam f. tam Mall W311i Mt W ATTORNEYS June 1934- N. G. CAMPBELL n AL 1,953,545

METHOD OF AND EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING AND SHIPPING IATERIALS IN BULK Filed June 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 6:013? M 31711:

ATTORNEY-9 Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD or AND EQUIPMENT FOR HAN- DLIN G BULK AND SHIPPING IN ration of New Jersey Application June 22, 1932, Serial No. 618,779

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and equipment for handling and shipping materials in bulk; and it relates more particularly to a method of and equipment for handling and shipping brick, hollow tile or other more or less frangible building blocks in freight cars and the like traveling carriers.

A general object of the invention is to provide a method of and equipment for loading a freight car or other traveling carrier with brick or the like in a manner avoiding breakage of the bricks in transit and enabling them to be easily unloaded from the car by suitable unloading machinery of the type handling the bricks in stacks and re-v quiring, a clearance space on the opposite sides of each stack for ingress of the unloading machinery.

In general, the method of loading contemplated by the invention comprises loading the bricks or the like into the car in stacks extending .in two or more series longitudinally of the car from end to end, with the stacks divided or separated from each other in each of the longitudinalseries by transverse dividing and bearing members and with the stacks spaced transversely from each other and from the opposite longitudinal sides of the car to initially provide the clearance spaces required for the ingress of the unloading machinery, and then using removable or collapsible space-restricting devices in those clearance spaces to secure the clearance needed at the unloading point.

The Neumann Patent No. 1,577,347, March 16, 1926, presents one example of the type of unloading machinery which may be used when the car is loaded in the manner contemplated by the present invention, the machinery there shown comprising a crane equipped with a lever arrangement having depending arms and terminal gripping bars adapted to embrace opposite sides of a stacked pile of brick or the like to dispose the gripping bars into gripping and lifting engagement with opposite sides of the lowermost layer of the stack.

It has not heretofore been found feasible to use unloading machinery of that type on freight car shipments of brick or the like because of the clearances required on two opposite sides of each stack and between the stacks and the adjacent longitudinal sides of the car for the ingress of the machinery. 'While the bricks can readily be so it stacked and the stacks so spaced transversely from each other and from the longitudinal sides of the car in the initial loading as to then present the required clearances, the movements of the car in transmit so disarrange the piled-up rows of bricks in the. longitudinal direction and so scatter the bricks transversely of the piles into the clearance spaces between them and along the sides of the car as not only to damage the bricks but also to destroy the clearances initially provided. The use of dividing members and space-restricting devices as contemplated by the present invention properly secure the loading from damage during transit and the required clearances at destination for unloading.

The term space-restricting device as here used means a device restricting the lading to certainspaces in the car predetermined by the initial loading of the materials into the car. When in use, the space-restricting devices themselves occupy the spaces laterally adjacent the lading, and when movedout of the position of use, they leave the full clearance required for ingress of the unloading machinery.

These space-restricting devices may, within the broad purview of the invention, be movable structures of fixed dimensions for bodily insertion into and removal from the car or some or all of them may be of the collapsible-frame type.

Preferably, however, the space-restricting devices for use at the sides of the car are of the collapsible-frame type, and one of the particular objects of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily and quickly collapsed against and secured to the sides of the car to provide the required clearance when the car is to be unloaded.

Another particular object of the invention is the provision of a space-restricting device of the collapsible-frame type adapted for use between adjacent piles of the lading, and of such conseries from end to end of the car so as to facilitate the handling of each pile as a unit by the unloading machinery. Those dividing members also serve other important purposes contemplated by the invention. Each member is of a construction presenting opposite broad bearing surfaces for the bricks at the ends of adjacent piles and thereby functions to distribute the reaction forces developed in the piles by the sudden starting and stopping of the car. By this method of loading, also, instead of continuous rows of bricks from end to end of the car as in the practice customary heretofore, the rows are broken up by the dividing members into relatively short rows so that no individual brick is subjected to the full pounding action of a large number of bricks to the rear and in front of it developed by the sudden starting and stopping of the car as in the case of a row continuous from end to end of the car. As bricks and the like building blocks are more or less frangible, this feature of the invention is of substantial advantage inreducing the shocks developed by the movements of the car which tend to cause breakage. In the method of loading contemplated by the invention as best adapted to secure these advantages, single transverse dividing and bearing plates are employed between the adjacent ends of each two stacks in each of the longitudinal series except at approximately the middle transverse line of the car where two bearing plates braced apart are used, which bearing plates and bracing may take the form of the collapsible device hereinbefore referred to as constructed to collapse by a lifting pull thereon.

While the applicability and usefulness of the invention are not confined to the loading of bricks or to such loading in a railway freight car, both the method and the equipment of the invention are more particularly designed for such use and offer special advantages therein, as already pointed out. It is to be understood of course that these advanta es apply also to freight car shipments of similar building materials such for example as hollow tile and other more or less frangible building blocks, and that bricks are simply typical of the materials which may be most advantageously handled according to the method of loading and by the carrier equipment of the invention. Because this particular use of the invention fully presents its advantages and discloses its principles, the specific examples of the method and equipment hereinafter given will be confined to a freight car shipment of bricks as shown in the accompanying drawings.

It is further to be understood, however, that the forms of equipment shown and examples of use given are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention both as to equipment and method, and that the invention may include other forms of equipment and modifications or changes in the methods described, all within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the body of a freight car of the gondola type loaded with bricks in a manner involving the method of the invention and with the equipment of the invention in place, certain parts of the car, the lading and the equipment being roken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of one of the transverse bearing or dividing plates constituting a part of the equipment;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the car body, lading and equipment on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fi i is a horizontal cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in plan view two of the link connections between a side wall of the car and the adjacent plate of one of the spacerestricting devices; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a collapsible frame constituting one of the devices of the equipment, with one of the side plates of that device partly broken away in full lines but with the brok naway part continued in dotted lines, to more clearly show the construction.

Fig. 1 shows the body of a freight car gondola type having a floor 10, opposite tudinal side walls ii and end walls 12.

As shown, the car is loaded with the bricks stacked in piles B, with the stacks or piles in two series running longitudinally of the car from cLiC. to end and with the series spaced laterally from each other and from the opposed siues of the car, thus forming a center space running longitudinally the full length of the car and two side spaces also running longitudinally the full length of the car, to initially provide the lateral clearances on opposite sides of eac stack required for the ingress of unloading machinery of the type hereinbefore referred to, of which the maof the longichinery of the Neumann Patent No. 1,577,347 may be taken as typical. The bricks may be thus loaoed into the car by the same type of machinery used in the unloading, or as desired.

In thus loading the bricks into the car in two series of stacks laterally spaced from each other and from the sides of the car, the stacks are not placed in end-to-end contact which would present continuous rows of brick from end to end of the car, but the stacks are loaded in each series in alternation with broad surfaced bearstopping movements of the car and to more or less distribute the developed forces over the broad surfaces of the dividing and bearing mem bers.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 1, each plate is of a width and height to completely engage against all th bricks at the opposed ends of the adjacent stacks between which it is transversely placed and to extend above the stacks for convenience of removal, the upper extension of the plate being apertured as indicated at 14 for the for the removal of the plate.

According to one mode of practicing the invention, the loading is begun with two of these plates at each of the opposite ends of the car, filler blocks being inserted between these plates and the end walls of the car when necessary to properly pack the lading longitudinally of the car, as indicated at 15 in Fig. 1. In that view the filler block for the corner of the car nearest the observer is omitted, for clearness of illustration. The bricks then be loaded from each end of the car in alternation of stacks and single bearing and dividing plates in engagement with the opposed ends of the stacks throughout each series of stacks.

engagement th rewith of a crane hook on x , plates.

Preferably, however, the single transverse bearing and dividing plates 13 are not used throughout each series but between the stacks in each series until the middle transverse line of the car is approached, and then twodividing and. bearing plates 16 and 17 spaced and braced apart are used between the opposed ends of the last stacks on opposite sides of that line, as shown in Fig. 1, as this method of loading has been found particularly effective in reducing the shock effects on the longitudinal rows of bricks developed by the sudden starting and stopping movements of the car, and. the bumping of cars together, such as occur for example in the frequent switching operations to which freight car shipments are subjected.

For the last mentioned method of loading, the two bearing plates and spacing and bracing means used at the transverse center line of the car preferably take the form of the extensible and collapsible frame device shown in perspective view in Fig. 5. That device comprises two parallel and opposed metallic plates 16' and 17 having link-connection means comprising four rigid links 18 fixedly but pivotally connected to the inner opposed faces of the plates adjacent their four corners by the brackets 19 riveted or otherwise secured to those faces of the plates and extending over the opposite ends of the links, as shown in Fig. 5.

The upper marginal area of each plate is apertured adjacent the opposite corners as indicated at 20 for the insertion of crane hooks to lift either or both of the With the frame in expanded condition as shown in Fig. 5, when the crane hooks are attached to either plate and that plate lifted, the link connection causes the lifted plate to swing laterally toward and upwardly of the opposed plate into substantially face to face engagement of the plates, thus collapsing the frame and facilitating its withdrawal from its position of use between opposed piles of brick. Likewise, when the device is to be inserted between two opposed and spaced piles of brick, it is handled in collapsed condition by the engagement of thecrane hooks with one only of the plates and is thereby readily deposited on the floor of the car in the space between the opposed piles of brick. When thus deposited, with the plates in vertical position, the weight of the plates causes the link members to spread them apart on the floor of the car with the links in substantially horizontal planes bracing the plates apart against the opposed stacks of bricks.

Preferably, but not necessarily, means are also provided for manually spreading the plates apart and additionallysecuring the spread for spacing. Such means, in the present instance, takes the form of a spreader bar 21 apertured at both ends, two angle plates 22 on the inner face of one of the plates, the plate 1.6 in Fig. 5, having apertured lips between which one end of the bar is inserted, a fixed pin 23 through the lips of the bracket and the bar to secure a pivotal mounting for that .end of the bar, corresponding angle plates "24 on the opposed face of the other plate, the plate 17 in Fig.5, having apertured lips to receive the other end of the bar, and a removable pin 25 to detachably secure that end of the bar. By that arrangement, the spreader bar is pivotally mounted on one plate so that it can be manually swung in a horizontal plane to spreading engagement with the inner face of the opposed plate and then the bar may be detachably secured by the pin 25 in its position spreading and bracing the plates apart. When the device is to be collapsed and removed from its position of use, the pin 25 is lifted to free that end of the bar and the bar is then swung laterally against the plate to which it is permanently secured.

In the preferred method of loading, two of the devices just described are used, one for each of the series of stacks of bricks, at approximately the transverse center line of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, to divide up each longitudinal series of stacks in effect into two series spaced apart longitudinally of the car; and, as stated, this method of loading has been found even more effective than the use of single dividing and bearing plates entirely throughout each series, in reducing the shock effects on the individual bricks incident to sudden starting and stopping movements of the car and the bumping of cars together.

With the lading arranged as described above, a central space is presented running longitudinally of the car between the series of stacks, and two side spaces are presented running longitudinally of the car, one between each series of stacks and the adjacent side of the car, to initially provide the clearances on opposite sides of each stack required for the ingress of the unloading machinery. Different forms of spacerestricting devices may be used in these spaces, with varying degrees of convenience or advantage in the handling of the equipment, to prevent lateral displacement of the bricks during transit of the car and secure the clearances intact when the car is to be unloaded.

Most advantageously, collapsible space-restricting devices of the form shown in Fig. 5 are used in the central space between the series of stacks of brick, and the devices so used are each preferably made longer than the length of a stack so as to engage against the sides of one pair of laterally opposed stacks and overlap against the sides of the next pair, as shown in Fig. 1, where the opposed plates of these collapsible devices are indicated by the numerals 16', 17 to distinguish them from the devices of the same form used transversely between the opposed ends of adjacent stacks where the plates 16, 17 are of a width simply to extend across the ends of the stacks. Most advantageously, also, space-restricting devices of this form are used throughout the central longitudinal space between the series of stacks because of their convenience in handling in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with the use of this form of device as a spacing and dividing device between opposed ends of adjacent stacks at the transverse center line in each of the series.

Another form of space-restricting device which may .be used in the central longitudinal space between the series of stacks is a rectangular box structure, indicated at 26 in Fig. 1, which figure is intended to illustrate the use not only of this box form of space-restricting device but also the collapsible form, although either form selected for use would preferably be used throughout that space to the exclusion of the other form. The box form of space-restricting device, like the collapsible form, is of a width to transversely span the space between laterally opposed stacks of brick so as to present its opposite sidesin contact with the bricks of the opposed stacks, of .a height to extend at least to the top of the stacks and preferably of greaterlength than that of the stacks so as to span the sides of one pair of leterally opposed stacks and overlap against the sides of the next pair, as shown in Fig. 1. These boxes may be of sheet metal or wood, as desired, and each is provided with top bails 2'7 for the engagement of crane hooks therewith so that the boxes may be bodily handled by machinery for their insertion into and removal out of their space-restricting positions of use in the car.

The box form of space-restricting device or a similar form, of fixed dimensions adapted to be bodily inserted into and removed from its position of use in the car, may be used also for the longitudinal side spaces between the stacks of brick and the side walls of the car. The devices for use in these side spaces are most advantageously, however, of the general nature or ex tensible and retractible frames adjustably mounted on the side walls of the car so that the frames may be extended inwardly of said walls to function as filler pieces in the spaces between the stacks or" bricks and the sides of the car during transit of the car and may be retracted against the sides of the car to clear these spaces when the car is to be unloaded.

More specifically, each of these devices in the present instance comprises a side plate 28 provided with upper and lower pairs of link brackets 29 in which one end of the links of the upper and lower pairs of links 30 closely but pivotally engage, and corresponding up er and lower pairs of loop brackets 31 on the opposed side wall of the car in which the opposite ends of the links loosely and pivotally engage. With this link connection between the side plate and the side wall of the car, the plate may be disposed in position of use vertically upright upon the floor or" the car and inwardly spaced and braced from the side wall of the car by the links as shown by the full lines in Fig. 3 or may be swung laterally and upwardly off the floor of the car to the position against the side wall or" the car shown in dotted lines in that View. In the position of use, the entire frame, comprising the plate and links, functions as a space-restricting device, with the plate spaced and braced from the side wall of the car into engagement with the adjacent stacks of bricks in a manner to prevent their lateral displacement, and when the plate is swung upwardly and laterally against the side of the car the space is cleared for ingress of the unloading n1a chinery.

The plate is provided with a hook bracket 32 adapted, when the plate is swung laterally and upwardly to an extent permitted by the loose connection of the links in the loop brackets on the side wall of the car, to automatically engage over the upper flanged edge 33 of the side wall of the car to detachably lock the side plate to the wall of the car. The upper marginal area of the plate is suitably apertured, as shown at 34, for engagement therewith of a crane hook to effect the upward and lateral swing of the plate into engaged and locked position against the side of the car. With the plate thus retracted and locked in position against the side of the car, its release may be effected by a sli ht lifting of the plate by the crane to clear the hooked bracket of the plate from the flanged upper edge of the side of the car, and the crane may then be operated to swing the plate downwardly to its original position of use.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of loading brick or the like into a freight car having a floor and side and end walls and'securing the lading therein, comprising stacking the bricks in separate piles with bearing plates interposed between adjacent ends of the piles in a manner to form two series of alternating piles of brick and bearing plates extending longitudinally of the card from endto end and with the series or" piles spaced laterally from the side walls of the car and from each other to form clearance spaces on the opposite sides or" each pile of brick for the ingress or" unloading machinery, and interposing removable space-restricting devices in said spaces to secure said spacing of said series of piles of brick from each other and from the side walls of the car during transit, whereby a removal of said space-restricting devices at the unloading destination presents the clearance when the car is to be unloaded.

2. The method of handling and, shipping brick or the like in a freight car having a floor and side and end walls, comprising stacking the bricks on the floor of the car in separate piles in alternation with spacing m mbers having opposite bearing surfaces of at least the height and width of the piles in two series extending longitudinally of the car from end to end and spaced laterally from the sides of the car and from each other to provide clearance spaces on the opposite side of each pile for the ingress of unloading machinery and with said bearing surfaces in contact with all of the bricks at adjacent ends of the piles throughout each series, and interposing removable space-restricting devices in said clearance spaces to maintain said spacing of said series of piles of brick from each other and from. the side Walls of the car during transit, whereby a removal of said space-restricting devices at the unloading destination presents the clearance required for the unloading machinery.

3. An equipment for freight cars or the like designed to brace a stacked pile of brick or the like from the adjacent side wall of the car, comprising, in combination, a member adapted to engage against the side of the stack opposed to said side wall of the car and link means mounting said member as a fixture on said side wall of the car in a manner movably disclosing said member in upright position braced against said side of the stack and enabling said member to be swung laterally and upwardly from said position substantially fiat against said side wall to clear the space between'said stack and the said side wall of the car.

4. A carrier equipment comprising the combination with a traveling carrier having a floor and opposite side and end walls, or" a device for holding the lading during transit spaced from a wall of the carrier, said device comprising a plate and link means pivotally connecting said plate to said wall of the carrier in a manner movably disposing said plate in upright position upon the floor of said carrier inwardly spaced and braced from said wall and enabling said member to be retracted against said wall.

5. A carrier equipment comprising the combination with a traveling carrier having a floor and opposite side and end walls, of a device for holding the lading during transit spaced from a wall of the carrier, said device comprising a plate and link means pivotally connecting said plate to said wall of the carrier in a manner movably disposing said plate in upright position upon the floor of said carrier inwardly spaced and braced from said wall and enabling said plate to be swung laterally and upwardly off said floor to position against said wall, and hook means for removably securing said plate upon said wall.

on .ll. l

.6.-,.A carrier equipment comprising the combination with atraveling carrierhaving a floor and oppositeside walls, of a plate and pivot l connection between said, plate; and aside wall of the carrier, saidconnection comprising; a spacing and bracing member whereby said plate may be disposed in upright position upon the floor of the carrier inwardly spaced and braced from said wall or swung laterally and upwardly off said floor to position substantially fiat against saidwall.

7. A carrier equipment comprising the COIIk' bination with a traveling carrier having a floor and opposite end walls, of a plate and linkmeans pivotally connecting said plate to a side wall of the carrier whereby said plate may be disposed in upright position upon the floor of. the carrier inwardly spaced and braced from said wall or swung laterally and upwardly off said floor to position against said wall, and means releasably locking said plate against said wall comprising complementary locking parts on said plate and wall automatically engaging to effect said locking when said plate is swung laterally and upwardly against said wall.

8. An equipment for freight cars of the gondola type comprising, in combination, a plate and link means pivotally connecting said plate to a side wall of the car in a manner movably disposing said plate in upright position upon the floor of the car inwardly spaced and braced from said side wall and enabling said plate to be swung laterally and upwardly off said floor to position against said wall, and hook means on said plate automatically'engaging over the upper edge of said wall when said plate is swung laterally and upwardly against said wall. 7

9. An equipment for freight cars of the gondola type comprising, in combination, a plate and a pivotal connection between said plate and a side wall of the car, said connection comprising a spacing and bracing member whereby said plate may be disposed in upright position upon the floor of the car inwardly spaced and braced from said wall or swung laterally and upwardly off said floor to position against said wall, said member having a loose connection with said wall enabling said plate to be lifted vertically of said wall when swung thereagainst, and a hook on said plate adapted to engage over the upper edge of said wall when said plate is thus lifted.

10. A collapsible and removable space-restricting device for use on freight cars or the like to restrict the lading to certain areas of the floor space of the car and by its removal to provide clearance space for unloading machinery, comprising, in combination, opposed side plates, rigid link members between said plates and means pivotally connecting said link members to the inner opposed faces of the plates whereby said plates may be disposed upright on the floor of the car in spaced relation to expand said device and whereby a vertical movement of either plate relative to the other will collapse said device, and a spreader bar and means for removably securing said bar in spreading position between the inner faces of said plates.

11. An equipment for freight cars designed to secure at the unloading destination the clearance spaces on opposite sides of stacks of bricks or the like for the entrance of unloading machinery when said clearance spaces are initially formed by loading the bricks on the car in piles transversely spaced from each other and from the sides of the car, said equipment comprising, in combination, a movable box-shaped center section ad d o be 'mtedofi th fl r fr e ca and to, function as afiller-piecebetween opposed p es of b ickdnr e ansi of h arr dm b r m v there m whe t e ca is wi e i Q ded :a .e tensib and ract b e em s ad- .justably mounted onthe side walls ofthecar hereb said frame m t nded n a y f m s d walls to f n ti as fi e ec s -t e spaces between said piles of brick and the sides of the car during transit and retracted against the sides of the car to clear said spaces when the car is to be unloaded.

12. An equipment for freight cars designed to secure at the unloading destination the clearance spaces on opposite sides of stacks of bricks or-the like for the entrance of unloading machinery when said clearance spaces are initially formed by loading the bricks in the car in piles transversely spaced from each other and from the sides of the car, said equipment comprising, in

combination, a collapsible brace frame adapted to be mounted on the car floor intermediate the side walls to function as a filler piece between opposed piles of brick during transit and to be collapsed and withdrawn from the car at the unloading point, and expansible and retractible side frames so formed and adjustably mounted as fixtures on the side walls of the car as to adapt them to be advanced inwardly to function as filler pieces in the spaces between said piles of brick and the side walls of the car during transit and to be retracted outwardly against the walls of the car to clear those spaces when the car is to be unloaded.

13. An equipment for freight cars designed to secure at the unloading destination the clearance spaces on opposite sides of stacks of bricks or the like for the entrance of unloading machinery initially formed by loading the bricks on the car in piles transversely spaced from each other and from the sides of the car, said equipmentcomprising, in combination, a brace frame having opposite bearing plates and link means pivotally connecting said plates whereby said plates may be brought together to collapse said frame and spaced apart by said link means to expand said frame and whereby said frame in collapsed condition may be brought into position and then expanded to brace opposed piles of bricks apart and thereafter contracted and removed by an upward pull on either of said plates alone, and side plates and link means so pivotally mounting said plates on the sides of the car as to adapt said plates to be swung downwardly into upright position on the floor of said car and in that posi-- tion to function to brace said piles of bricks against movement toward the sides of the car, and to be swung laterally and upwardly against the sides of the car to clear the spaces between said piles of brick and the sides of the car.

14. A carrier equipment comprising the combination with a carrier having a floor and opposite side and end walls, of a member disposed inwardly of a wall of the carrier and adapted to engage against a stack of brick or like material disposed on the floor of the carrier, and movably adjustable connection means between said member and said wall of the carrier, located wholly between said member and wall, and adapted in 7 one position of adjustment to dispose said-mem-fber inwardly spaced and braced from said wall of the carrier and in another position of adjustment to dispose said member in retracted position substantially flat against said wall.

15. A collapsible and removable space-restrictglee disposed on edge upright on the floor of the car said link members space said plates apart and whereby an upward vertical movement of either plate relative to the other collapses said device into contacting relation of said plates.

NATHAN G. CAMPBELL. GEORGE W. RINK. 

